1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of multimedia distribution, and more specifically, to localized media content distribution.
2. Description of Related Art
Media content services are increasingly popular in the entertainment and broadcast industry. Examples of these media content services include media distribution, advertisements, and video-on-demand (VOD) distribution. In a typical media content distribution system, content programmers or providers prepare content such as movies, television shows, multimedia features, etc. and transmit the content to cable operators. The cable operators or multiple services/systems operators (MSOs) then ingest the content into a content server. The content server then streams or makes the content available to customers or subscribers of the MSO upon demand by the customers.
One important market area for media content services is the delivery or distribution of local content. Local content includes features that are related to a local or regional area or community. Examples of these features may include local news, local sports events, local advertisements, etc. Existing media content systems do not efficiently support local content distribution. The current offerings are high-cost due to deploying non-distributed content preparation and management solutions. These solutions are inefficient and difficult to implement. Each head-end may require increased staffing and expertise to support local content distribution.